{"id":116384,"date":"2019-02-14T23:09:34","date_gmt":"2019-02-14T23:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=116384"},"modified":"2025-07-01T22:22:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T05:22:10","slug":"wake-up-early","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wake-up-early\/","title":{"rendered":"Is waking up early really a virtue worth celebrating?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We\u2019ve long lived in a world that places a lot of value on the early bird.<\/p>\n

Blame it on the Protestant work ethics or Prussian philosophy, but there\u2019s this deep-seated perception that waking up early sets the tone for success \u2014 and late risers are lazy underachievers.<\/p>\n

There are a million blog posts and TED talks that highlight the power of getting up early. Michelle Obama, Oprah, and a whole host of TED Talkers, entrepreneurs, and athletes are early risers, and there\u2019s no shortage of content pointing toward the link between early call times and success.<\/p>\n

Need proof? A while back, the Huffington Post compiled a list of notable early birds<\/a> from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson\u2019s 4 a.m. gym time to Tim Cook\u2019s 3:45 am (that’s night still, right?) email routine.<\/p>\n

Should you wake up early?<\/h2>\n

\"waking<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what science has to say about catching the worm<\/h3>\n

Roughly 25 percent of people tend toward waking up very early.<\/p>\n

Most people fall into a middle ground \u2014 it\u2019s no big deal to wake up for a traditional job, but the idea of hitting the gym before the sun comes up sounds like a real pain.<\/p>\n

A study published by Harvard Business Review found that of the 367 participants they surveyed<\/a>, those who stayed up late reported higher levels of distraction and lower levels of productivity.<\/p>\n

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Morning people do enjoy more career opportunities<\/strong>, but that may be a product of society, tradition, and the fact that business hours are a fixed schedule that suits this group better than the night owls.<\/p>\n

On the flip side, night owls reportedly have their own set of desirable traits. They\u2019re more creative, have higher IQs<\/strong>, and often, as healthy and prosperous as early birds. This study from 1998 <\/span><\/a>looked into the famous Benjamin Franklin quote, \u201cEarly to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.\u201d<\/p>\n

The aim was to see if Franklin\u2019s claim had any truth to it, yet the findings found that late risers did not have a higher rate of health problems or have lower incomes than their go-get-em peers.<\/p>\n

What are the stereotypes?<\/h3>\n

\"morning<\/p>\n

Morning people are seen as more conscientious and proactive. They\u2019re stable, consistent, and agreeable. Night owls are seen as partiers, they\u2019re lazy, and they lack self-control.<\/p>\n

While studies have shown that late risers tend toward novelty-seeking behaviors and may be more impulsive and avoidant<\/span><\/a>, there\u2019s no evidence that this group works fewer hours or is less motivated.<\/p>\n

Productivity really boils down to chronotypes.<\/strong> Chronobiology researcher, Katharina Wulff says it’s best if people work according to their body’s natural rhythms<\/a>, rather than trying to fit into a schedule that doesn’t work.<\/p>\n

Chris Bailey, of The Productivity Project<\/a>, tried to change his chronotype to see if there was any truth to the link between success and morningness.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t remember, a few years back, Bailey spent a year experimenting with a range of strategies aimed at boosting productivity. The chronotype experiment involved changing from a night owl schedule to a strict 5:30 am wake-up call and 9:30 pm bedtime. Bailey reported that he\u2019d find himself getting ready for bed just as he was starting to feel productive.<\/p>\n

In short, getting a hard start on the day sounds like a great idea, until it starts to eat into your productivity. Tiredness isn\u2019t exactly good for setting the tone for your best ideas.<\/p>\n

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The benefits of an early wake-up are appealing:<\/strong><\/p>\n